Crochet Club: summer tablemats

So far our summer outdoor set is coming along beautifully with bright and colourful summer bunting and nightlight covers to match, and this week we are adding to it with two varieties of tablemats.

Choose rectangular or circular mats to suit your garden table!

For the tablemats I used Rico Creative Cotton Aran in Light Pistachio 44, Sky Blue 37, Candy Pink 64 and Rose 00. I used approx. 1 ball of each to make these three mats and I worked with a 3.5mm hook. This tutorial is written in UK terms, but you can use our handy conversion tables to convert to US terminology.

The rectangular mat measures 25cm x 35cm and the circular mats have a diameter of 19cm.

To make the rectangular mat:

The rectangular mat is made up of a variety of different stitches, and I have worked it so that the stitch pattern is repeated twice. The pattern for this mat could be adapted to make a table runner by either working a longer starting chain or by repeating the pattern repeat several more times.

The picture below shows both the stitches and the colours I used:

When working the pattern I found the easiest place to join in each new colour was when working the chains at the end of each row, and rather than cutting the yarn at the end of each row I simply looped the yarn up the sides, so that you’ll have fewer ends to sew in at the end.

When working the chains at the end of each row you will need to work 1 chain if you are going in to a row of DC and 2 chains if you are going into a row of either HTR or TR.

Begin by working a chain of 61 sts in green.

Row 1: Starting in the 2nd chain from the hook work a row of DC in green. 60sts. At the end of the row CH 2 and turn.

Row 2: Work a row of HTR in the same colour. 60 sts.

At the end of Row 2 CH 2 in Bright Pink and turn.

Row 3: Work a row of TR in Bright Pink. 60sts.

At the end of Row 3, CH 1 in blue and turn.

Rows 4 and 5: Work 2 rows of DC in blue.

Continue the pattern as below, referring to the colours in the chart above, remembering to CH 1 if going into a row of DC or CH 2 if going into a row of HTR or TR.

Row 6: HTR CL in pale pink – work a HTR in to the first stitch, skip a stitch and then work 2 HTR in the next st. Skip a stitch and work 2 HTR in the next stitch. Continue this pattern to the end of the row, working a HTR in to the final stitch of the row. Ch 2 and turn.

Rows 10 and 11: Work 2 rows of DC in blue. Check your stitch count during these rows and if you find the HTR CL slightly altered your stitch count either increase or decrease in these DC rows to get back to 60 sts.

Row 12: Work a row of TR in green.

Row 13: Work a row of DC in bright pink.

Row 14: Work a row of DC in blue.

Row 15: Work a row of DC in green (cut the yarn at the end of this row, leaving a tail long enough to sew in.)

Row 16: Work a row of TR in pale pink (cut the yarn at the end of this row, leaving a tail long enough to sew in.)

Row 17: Work a row of DC in blue (cut the yarn at the end of this row, leaving a tail long enough to sew in.)

Row 18: Work a row of DC in green.

Row 19: Work a row of HTR in pale pink.

Row 20: Work a row of TR in dark pink.

That completes the end of your first pattern section. I repeated the pattern once more, starting again by rejoining the blue and beginning at Row 4 of the pattern.

As you work you will see that you are left with loops of yarn at the sides of your work.

Once you have worked your required number of pattern repeats work a round of DC all the way around the edge of the mat, working 2 DC in to each corner stitch and taking care to make sure you catch all the loops of yarn in as you work to give you a tidy edge.

To complete your mat work a final round of rope stitch all the way around the edge of the mat. Rope stitch is DC worked clockwise rather than the usual anti-clockwise. Finish off and sew in the ends.

To make the circular mat:

Round 1: Begin by making a Magic Ring, CH2 and work 12 TR in to the ring. Join with a SLST. 12 sts. CH 2.

Round 2: Work 2 TR in to each stitch. SL ST to join. 24sts. CH2.

Round 3: *Work 2 TR in to the first stitch and then 1 TR in to the next stitch*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. SL ST to join. 36 sts. CH 2.

Round 4: *Work 2 TR in to the first stitch and then 1 TR in to each of the next 2 stitches*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. SL ST to join. 48 sts. CH 2.

Round 5: *Work 2 TR in to the first stitch and then 1 TR in to each of the next 3 stitches*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. SL ST to join. 60 sts. CH 2.

Round 6: Work 2 TR in to the first stitch and then 1 TR in to each of the next 4 stitches*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. SL ST to join. 72 sts. CH 2.

Round 7: Work 2 TR in to the first stitch and then 1 TR in to each of the next 5 stitches*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. SL ST to join. 84 sts. CH 2.

Round 8: Work 2 TR in to the first stitch and then 1 TR in to each of the next 6 stitches*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. SL ST to join. 96 sts. Finish off and sew in the ends.

For the bobbly edging I chose to work in two colours:

Join in your first colour and DC 1.* In to the next stitch work 4 TR all in to the same stitch, leaving the last loop of each TR on the hook. Yarn over in your second colour and pull through all 5 loops. SL ST in to the next stitch*, and repeat from * to *.

Continue working your way around the edge making the bobbles in alternate colours.

At the end of the round SL ST to finish off and sew in your ends.

Choose from over 35 shades and make Kate’s super set in your own colour combination!

4 Responses to Crochet Club: summer tablemats

Please can you confirm whether for the rectangular mat the first stitch of each row is worked into the first or second stitch of the row. Sometimes the ch1/ch2 chain at the beginning of the row counts as the first stitch and sometimes it doesn’t. I am not too sure with your pattern what is the case. Thank you

Round 1 cites to ch 2 and then make 12 dc into the ring. As the ch 2 counts as a stitch, this makes 13 dc sts in total, when there should only be 12. On round 2, do I ch2, work 2dc in each st around and then 1dc in the last st, which I join to the ch 2 with a sl st? Pattern is really not clear for someone fairly new to crochet